Find out how popular the last name Clevenger is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Clevenger.

Clevenger, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Clevenger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clevenger in America

Clevenger is the 2889th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clevenger surname appeared 12,428 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Clevenger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clevenger to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Clevenger

The surname Clevenger has its origins in the German language, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, which was once part of the Holy Roman Empire. The name is derived from the Old German word "kleber," which means "to adhere" or "to stick."

In its earliest form, the name was spelled as "Kleber" or "Kleber." It is thought to have been an occupational name, given to individuals who worked with adhesives or glues, such as bookbinders or shoemakers. Over time, the spelling evolved, and the name took on various forms, including "Clevenger," "Klevenger," and "Klevinger."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region of Germany. In this document, a certain "Johannes Kleber" is mentioned in the year 1348.

Another notable early reference to the name comes from the Heidelberg University archives, where a student named "Petrus Clevenger" is listed as having attended the university in the late 15th century.

One of the most famous individuals to bear the Clevenger surname was Hans Clevenger, a German merchant and explorer who lived in the 16th century (1520-1587). He is known for his travels to the Americas and his detailed accounts of the indigenous peoples and cultures he encountered.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Clevenger family settled in the Netherlands, where the name was sometimes spelled "Klevenger." One notable member of this branch was Pieter Klevenger (1632-1701), a Dutch painter and engraver who was renowned for his landscapes and still-life works.

Another significant figure was Johann Clevenger (1685-1754), a German philosopher and theologian who made important contributions to the field of moral philosophy. He was a professor at the University of Halle and wrote several influential works on ethics and moral reasoning.

As the centuries passed, the Clevenger name spread across Europe and eventually made its way to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation, its Germanic roots and connections to occupations involving adhesives or binding remain a part of its rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clevenger

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Clevenger.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Clevenger was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Clevenger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Clevenger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clevenger, please contact us.

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